2 Maccabees 3:9-13: a reflection

9When he had come to Jerusalem and had been courteously received by the high priest of the city, he told him about the information which had been given, and declared why he had come; and he inquired if in truth these things were so. 10The high priest explained to him that there were in the treasury deposits of widows and orphans, 11and moreover some money belonging to Hyrcanus the son of Tobias, a man in very high place, not as that impious Simon falsely alleged; and that in all there were four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold, 12and that it was altogether impossible that wrong should be done to those who had put trust in the holiness of the place, and in the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honored over all the world. 13But Heliodorus, because of the king’s command given him, said that in any case this money must be confiscated for the king’s treasury.

In this account, an official named Heliodorus comes to seize the treasury of the temple in Jerusalem for the king. But the high priest explains what that treasury held: among other things, it held the deposits of widows and orphans, the savings of the most vulnerable, entrusted to the safekeeping of the holy place. To seize the treasury would be to rob the defenseless of what they had entrusted, wronging those who had no other protection.

Notice what made the threatened seizure so grievous: it would wrong widows and orphans, the defenseless who had entrusted their little to the sanctuary. This was not merely a matter of money, but of taking from those least able to protect themselves, betraying the trust of the vulnerable. The high priest appeals to this as the heart of the wrong: that it would harm the widows and orphans who had trusted the holy place with their savings.

That reflects something God takes seriously: the protection of the vulnerable, and the wrong of taking from them what they have entrusted. Throughout Scripture, God shows himself the defender of the widow, the orphan, the defenseless; and he takes special note of any who would exploit or rob them. To take advantage of those who cannot protect themselves, to betray the trust of the vulnerable, is a grave thing in God's sight. Be, instead, a protector of the defenseless and a keeper of their trust. Do not exploit those who cannot protect themselves, or take lightly what the vulnerable entrust to you; God defends the widow and the orphan, and takes seriously how the defenseless are treated. Guard, rather than harm, those who have no other protection.

Lord, in this account the temple treasury held the deposits of widows and orphans, and to seize it would have wronged the defenseless who had entrusted their little to the holy place. Remind me how seriously you take the protection of the vulnerable. Throughout your word you show yourself the defender of the widow, the orphan, the defenseless, and you take special note of any who would exploit or rob them. To take advantage of those who cannot protect themselves, to betray the trust of the vulnerable, is a grave thing in your sight. Make me a protector of the defenseless and a keeper of their trust. Keep me from exploiting those who cannot protect themselves, or taking lightly what the vulnerable entrust to me. You defend the widow and the orphan; give me your heart for them, that I would guard, rather than harm, those who have no other protection. Let me reflect your care for the vulnerable.